Two days of “Streets!
Magic!
Festival!” in Weilheim.
Two days of autumn foretaste - and that after weeks of sunshine.
Annoying for artists and viewers?
Not necessarily.
A weather report.
Weilheim
- Many spells were taught at Hogwarts, such as meteolohex recanto.
With that, the weather could be hexed away.
But none of those who attended “Strassen!
Magic!
Festival!” in downtown Weilheim were in their youth at the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry that Harry Potter attended.
So they had to take the weather as it is.
And the organizers led by Tom Kratz and the street artists he invited made the best of the change between sun (rarely) and rain (frequently) as well as the sometimes violent wind and cold.
Improvisation was the order of the day – it has always not been a problem for artists.
And since Corona times almost every day.
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In the tent on the church square, for example, “bizarre artist” Christian F. Berres caused amazement.
© Ralf Ruder
For the fourth time, the festival, which is supported by the association "Magic Five Lakes", the location promotion association and the office for location promotion, culture and tourism of the city of Weilheim, took place in the pedestrian zone.
"A spectacle for young and old" was announced for the visitors, and the shops in the city center were hoping for good business.
Kirchplatz and Marienplatz as well as locations in front of the department and fashion stores Rid, Schmid and Echter were planned as venues.
And the flyer promised: "The event will take place in any weather." In heavy rain or storms, games should be played in the shops if possible.
Bicycle stunts were also featured
But the hope of getting the bad weather under control was not entirely fulfilled.
It's also somehow logical: Because the magical show with dynamic fire juggling and poetic flame manipulation offered by the German-Finnish duo Lumino Artists is rather unimaginable next to clothes racks.
Stevie Wheels, who lives in Toronto (Canada) and Freiburg, also needs a lot of space for his bicycle stunts as a funny courier and can't also curve around shelves with sweaters and blouses.
And also Abraham Thrill from Vienna as El Diabolero for his comedy juggling show, with which he has performed at 24 festivals on three continents this year, has little use for closed rooms.
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In action in the tent on the church square: "Albi, the magic fuzzi" from Liechtenstein.
© Ralf Ruder
That's why the four street artists braved the weather - a promise is a promise.
They didn't perform at the times and in the places that were in the program, but whenever the weather permitted.
In heavy rain in the small tent that had been set up on the church square - with somewhat slowed down enthusiasm.
In light rain and occasional sunshine at the Mariensäule and in front of the Stadtmuseum or in Schmiedstraße.
For the shoppers and spectators who were not deterred by the weather, there was the announced spectacle - especially for the young and very young visitors.
The classic wizards were a little more independent of the weather
On Friday evening, more than 250 enthusiastic fans of street art - which El Diabolero called tent art during his performance in the tent in the afternoon - came together at the Marian column to watch the fire show.
They moved on in a group in front of the museum, where Stevie Wheels not only cycled, but also tested volunteers on their skills as a bike courier - much to the delight of the spectators.
On Saturday, the program was able to go ahead with small deviations in the afternoon and major problems in the heavy rain in the evening.
The two classic magicians "Albi, der Zauberfuzzi" from Liechtenstein and Christian F. Berres from Oberndorf am Lech, who also calls himself a bizarrer, were somewhat less dependent on the weather.
The city bore travel expenses, board and lodging
The fact that the artists, who didn't get a fee, but only the donations from the audience after their shows (the hat money), like to come to Weilheim, is partly due to Tom Kratz, who lives in Weilheim and, as a street artist, knows all those invited personally.
On the other hand, because the city pays for travel expenses as well as board and lodging in the hotel.
That's not always the case at street festivals.
Despite the weather and the resulting lower number of spectators, the street artists were rather satisfied with their performances - the last ones for this year, because the street festivals in Europe are going into the winter break.
Kratz was also satisfied on Saturday evening: "I think it's great that the artists, despite the adverse circumstances, managed to bring variety and circus atmosphere to the city for two days."
Ralf Scharnitsky
